Baked Beans

Make savory homemade baked beans in the slow cooker, oven, or Instant Pot. Slightly sweet and smoky sauce with a hint of tang – it’s the perfect side dish for your next gathering or family meal!

Growing up, home style baked beans were a staple at any party or potluck. I always loved the sweet, tangy, maple-y flavor of baked beans, and I often went back for seconds or thirds. (Much like Broccoli Salad or Creamy Coleslaw!)

I don’t know if those casserole dishes were cans of Heinz baked beans or Bush’s baked beans doctored up with some bacon or onion, or if they were truly made from scratch…

… but either way, I’ve created my own go-to baked beans recipe that not only reminds me of my childhood, but my friends and family keep coming back for seconds and thirds too!

HOMEMADE SLOW COOKER BAKED BEANS RECIPE

My homemade baked beans recipe is BEYOND easy, as every crockpot recipe should be. But that’s not the only reason I love it!

• Simple ingredients. We’re using pantry staple ingredients and basic seasonings you can tweak to fit YOUR taste buds.
• Flexible recipe. Baked beans can be made for vegans and meat-eaters alike.
• Minimal hands-on time. We’re using the slow cooker, so you don’t even have to be home to make them!
• Make ahead. These easy baked beans can be made ahead of time, frozen for later, and easily doubled (or halved).
• Delicious right away and as leftovers! We’ve found that the flavor of the baked beans is even better the next day, and we add sliced all-beef hot dogs (from ALDI or Butcher Box) for homemade beans and weenies for lunch. Add some Homemade Cornbread Muffins and it’s like my childhood all over again!

BAKED BEAN RECIPE INGREDIENTS

The list of ingredients may look intimidating, but most of this list is spices you already have.

• Canned Navy Beans or Great Northern Beans. Drain beans and rinse well or use beans you’ve cooked from dry beans. You’ll need about 1 ½ cups of cooked beans per can.
• Spices: onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper
• Chicken Stock. Use chicken stock for the base of the sauce (or vegetable stock for vegan baked beans).
• Ketchup + Tomato Paste. This gives the tomato flavor to the sauce.
• Mustard. Yellow mustard or Dijon mustard work here or use spicy mustard if you want a kick!
• Maple Syrup. This natural sweetener gives just enough sweetness.
• Molasses. Just a tiny bit of molasses adds depth to the flavor of the sauce.
• Bacon. Optional, omit for vegan or vegetarian baked beans, but I highly recommend keeping it in for great flavor!

Some baked beans recipes include finely chopped onion and green pepper in the bean mixture. I don’t typically add those, but they would taste great if you have them on hand! I also think the baked beans get tangy enough from the mustard, but you can add a splash of apple cider vinegar for extra zing if you like.

Psst! Not all salts are made the same! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!).

BEANS FOR BAKED BEANS

I like to stock up on canned beans when they’re on sale, making this canned baked beans crock pot recipe an easy side dish for when you have no idea what to make.

If you’re using canned beans, look for those with the simplest ingredients. Just beans, water, and salt. No need for added sugars or flavorings here – we’re going to doctor them up ourselves!

If you want to use dried beans, you’ll need to cook your beans first and then continue with the recipe as written. I recommend either Slow Cooker Beans or Instant Pot Beans.

I really like the flavor of navy and great northern beans for baked beans, but red kidney beans, pink kidney beans, pinto beans, and “small white beans” are also good options. Feel free to use all of one kind of bean or mix and match a variety of beans.

HOW TO MAKE BAKED BEANS IN THE SLOW COOKER

Follow these instructions for making the baked beans recipe using the slow cooker (or find the directions for the oven and Instant Pot below).

Step 1: Drain and rinse the canned beans at least three times. This will help eliminate the oligosaccharides, which are difficult for people to digest and often lead to bloating and gas.

Step 2: Cook the bacon slices in a pan (if using), drain the bacon grease, let the bacon rest on paper towels, then dice the bacon into small pieces.

Step 3: Combine the beans, bacon, and the remaining ingredients in a slow cooker, stir well, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Do not disturb the beans while they are cooking!

Step 4: Gently stir the beans and taste. Adjust the seasonings and spices if you want it sweeter (maple syrup), more tomato-y (ketchup or tomato paste), more tangy (mustard), or smokier (smoked paprika).

RECIPE FOR BAKED BEANS IN THE OVEN

Follow steps 1 through 3 above, except combine the ingredients in a Dutch oven rather than a crock pot. Bake the beans at 325F for about 2 hours or until the sauce thickens. If you use a baking dish, be sure to cover it with aluminum foil.

INSTANT POT BAKED BEANS

Follow steps 1 through 3 above, except cook the bacon in the Instant Pot on the sauté function. Then add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.

SERVE WITH EASY BAKED BEANS

Baked beans are one of my favorite sides for a summer meal with Burgers, potato salad, and Pasta Salad. But you can enjoy this baked beans recipe year-round! Try it with these:

• Slow Cooker Brisket
• Perfectly Tender Slow Cooker Ribs
• BBQ Pulled Pork (same method as my Instant Pot BBQ Chicken)
• With hot dogs and Skillet Cornbread

ARE BAKED BEANS HEALTHY?

The fact that this healthy recipe for baked beans doesn’t include brown sugar should already make it stand out against other traditional baked bean recipes. Don’t worry though – it’s still sweet enough to know you’re having Boston baked beans, but not so sweet that they’re bordering on dessert.

You can make it even healthier by ensuring your ketchup doesn’t have high fructose corn syrup, your maple syrup is actually maple syrup (not pancake syrup), and your beans don’t have any unnecessary ingredients.

Plus, if you think about the nutrients in beans, you’re making a savory side dish full of protein and fiber!

To make sure you have a balanced plate, serve baked beans with lean protein like chicken breast, boneless skinless chicken thighs, or lean ground beef. Then fill the bulk of your plate with low-carb vegetables like broccoli or asparagus or a delicious salad.

BAKING WITH BEANS RECIPES FAQS

MORE SLOW COOKER RECIPES WITH BEANS

Ready to find more baking with beans recipes? Try these slow cooker favorites!

• Slow Cooker Refried Beans
• White Chicken Chili
• Tortilla Soup
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
• Northern Beans and Ham Soup
• Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry